Terror plot blamed for night-time cemetary blast

At the site of the attack were found an assault rifle, two pistols, grenades and ammunition

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Still provided by press service of Interior Ministry department in Kabardino-Balkaria

NALCHIK, October 18 (Itar-Tass) - Preparation of a terror attack was the likely cause of a night-time explosion that hit a rural cemetery in the North Caucasus republic of Kabardino-Balkaria on Friday, deputy minister for internal affairs Kazbek Tatuyev told Itar-Tass.

“The nature of the explosion and the weapons found allow the assumption that unidentified people whose bodies were found on the spot were participating in the militant underground operating in the republic,” said Tatuyev.

“A Kalashnikov rifle found there was stolen in an armed assault on police in Baksan district in July 2008. Police have also found two guns, grenades and shells.”

Police believe the militants planned to plant a bomb near a mosque and an adjacent cemetery at the village of Dugulugbei.The device was equivalent to about 10 kilogrammes of TNT.

“Presumably, self-destruction took place,” an official said. Fragments of two bodies were found. No-one else was hurt.

It was previously reported by the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, “fragments of bodies, presumably, of two people were found on the site of the explosion, no other victims reported”.